Published: 18 Mar 2016
£1.7m boost for cultural activity across Scotland as Open Project Funding sees 90 awards made in January and February 2016.
Creative Scotland has awarded over £1.7m Open Project Funding in January and February 2016 to 90 recipients, including individual artists and organisations working across the arts, screen and creative industries, in awards of between £1,000 and £100,000.
These projects will have a major impact on the quality of people's lives across Scotland- Iain Munro, Deputy Chief Executive
Recipients include festivals, musicians, filmmakers, visual artists, community arts centres, dancers and writers. Amongst the festivals receiving support is The Mòd Fringe. Taking place in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis from 14-22 October 2016 alongside The Royal National Mòd, the festival is delivered by An Comunn Gàidhealach. Funding will support the programming of three Gaelic shows during The Mòd Fringe – Mac-talla Cogaidh (Echoes of War), Àite Mo Ghaoil (Place of my Heart) and Gach Sgeul (Every Story).
Other festivals receiving support across the country include Glasgow International Jazz Festival, Ullapool Book Festival, The Skye Book Festival, Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival, Perth Festival of the Arts and Hidden Door Festival in Edinburgh.
On receiving funding David Martin, Creative Director of Hidden Door Festival, said:
"The support from Creative Scotland will mean this year's festival can take a great leap forward from last year, and will allow us to bring some fantastic and ambitious artistic projects to the event as part of a new Invited Programme. It will mean we can programme some internationally recognised theatre, and run a poetry and spoken word programme. All of this means we can further develop Hidden Door as an important platform to benefit new breakthrough artists and performers working in Scotland. Over 10,000 people explored our festival last year and we are really excited to build on that with something for everyone this year.”
The Women’s Creative Company are receiving support to join with Platform Theatre and A Moment’s Peace Theatre Company to present a brand new piece of touring theatre. Glasgow-based independent curatorial practice Panel, led by Catriona Duffy and Lucy McEachan, will develop their 2016 programme to promote design locally and internationally through exhibitions, events and cultural projects, and Susanna Beaumont and Amanda Game are receiving funding towards an ambitious programme of new commissions and events.
On receiving funding Catriona Duffy and Lucy McEachan of Panel, said:
“We are delighted to have support from Creative Scotland towards Panel's upcoming programme for 2016-18. This funding will enable us to commission new work by a number of artists and designers as part of a series of exciting new projects with our selected partners".
Rural communities throughout the Scottish Highlands and Islands will now have greater access to a community cinema thanks to the expansion of Film Mobile Scotland offering cinema provision for a number of venues including Wick, Tain, Cromarty and Invergordon.
Writers Donald S Murray and Merryn Glover; musicians Donald Shaw and Fiona Soe Paing, artist Jacqueline Donachie and Kathryn Elkin; playwright Morna Young and theatre maker Al Seed are amongst the individuals receiving funding Open Project Funding.
On receiving funding visual artist Kathryn Elkin said:
“I am so grateful for Creative Scotland support on this exhibition - a milestone for me. I'm thrilled that this first big solo presentation is in Glasgow, the city that taught me everything I know! I'll be making the most of my peers in this community both in the work produced and behind the scenes.”
In music The Scottish Music Industry Association received funding towards the Scottish Album of the Year Awards 2016, Live Music Now Scotland received funding to support emerging musicians throughout Scotland and Pinact, KLOE and WOMPS received funding to showcase at the South by South West (SXSW) Music Festival in Austin, Texas.
Glasgow-based band WOMPS told us:
“Thanks to this funding we are able to perform at this year’s SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. This means we'll be able to reach a new audience and build our fanbase in the US as well as building on our relationships with our new label and agents."
In recognition of 2016 being the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, funding was awarded to Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland towards the Festival of Architecture, a year-long nationwide celebration of how architecture shapes Scotland, transforming its places and benefitting its people and their lives. The Dundee International Design Festival also received funding towards its four-day programme of events.
On receiving funding Neil Baxter of Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, said:
"This will be the most ambitious, truly pan-national Festival of Architecture ever undertaken anywhere. No small claim for our wee country! Without the many partners in the event we could not possibly deliver the many, many local and national events in our packed, fun-filled programme. The support of Creative Scotland has helped make our national headline events and literally hundreds of other fantastic, diverse and inclusive partner events a reality - we couldn't have done it otherwise!"
Iain Munro, Deputy Chief Executive at Creative Scotland said:
“From performances at The Mòd Fringe, touring cinema in the Highlands, international showcases in Austin, Texas and the creation of new work we are delighted to have been able to support such a range of practice and scale through Open Project Funding.
“This funding route helps artists and creative people bring their ideas to life, widen access to their work, and enrich Scotland’s reputation as a distinctive creative nation.
“Collectively, these projects will have a major impact on the quality of people’s lives across Scotland in many different ways, stimulating people’s imagination and confidence through coming together to enjoy artistic and creative experiences.”
Over £1.5 million of these awards has been allocated from the UK National Lottery funds. Alongside funding from the Scottish Government, the UK National Lottery forms a vital part of funding support for the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland.
Open Project Funding is available to a wide range of organisations and individuals working across Scotland in the arts, screen and creative industries. It supports a broad spectrum of activity including creative and professional development, research and development, production, small capital requirements, touring and collaborations, festivals, arts programming, audience development, etc. A full list of activities supported through this route is set out in the Open Project Funding application guidance. Support is available for projects of different scale and duration with the maximum period of award being set at 2 years. Awards are made in the range £1,000 to £100,000 (or up to £150,000 by exception).
See more about the Open Project Fund and all other Creative Scotland funding.
Please note the funding awards listed above remain offers of funding until such time as all terms and conditions have been formally accepted and fulfilled by the award recipient. If an award recipient fails to accept any offer, the funding award will be withdrawn and credited to future Open Project Funding Panels.
Eilidh Walker, Media Relations & PR Assistant
Email: eilidh.walker@creativescotland.com
Tel: +44 (0) 131 523 0019
Switchboard:+44 (0) 330 333 2000
Image: Paula Petroll's Collidoscope at Hidden Door Festival 2015 - Photo Credit Chris Scott
